Crisis Prevention & Response
Safe and supportive schools are prepared to prevent, recognize, and respond to crises that may affect students and school communities. MCOE provides resources and guidance related to threat determination, suicide prevention and postvention, crisis response, and trauma-informed practices.
Click on the tabs below for more information.
- Threat Determination Protocols
- Suicide Prevention
- Crisis Response
- Trauma Informed Practices & Resources
Threat Determination Protocols
Threat Determination Protocols
California Assembly Bill 1747 and the California Education Code Section 32281(a) require all Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to develop and maintain a Comprehensive School Safety Plan (CSSP). Creating a safe learning environment for students is at the center of a CSSP, and one of the required elements is preparedness for violence on campus. Although we hope violence on school campuses never occurs, the Marin County School Threat Determination Protocol manual supports each of our Marin schools in their preparedness and risk reduction efforts.
Threat Determination Protocol Handbook
The purpose of the Marin County School Threat Determination Protocol is to reduce the risk of targeted violence at Marin County schools. The comprehensive protocol incorporates evidence-based practices, current research, and consultation with law enforcement partners, mental health providers and school district staff.
Quick Links
Threat Determination Protocol - Summary
Threat Determination Protocol - Interview Protocol
*Clicking the link above will prompt you to make a copy
Threat Determination Protocol - Comprehensive
Learn More
If you are interested in learning more or in receiving training on the protocol, please explore the links below:
Request Form - Introduction Video
Suicide Prevention
Suicide Prevention
Per Assembly Bill 2246, all school districts must have a policy in place to address student suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention. The School-Based Suicide Risk Assessment Procedures work to address the practices related to suicide risk assessment and serve to supplement (rather than replace) existing comprehensive district policies within each of the Marin County SELPA’s member LEAs.
Providing a safe, positive, and welcoming school climate and ensuring that students have trusting relationships with adults serves as the foundation for effective suicide prevention efforts. All school personnel have a legal and ethical responsibility to recognize and respond to suicidal thinking and behavior. Using evidence-based practices as the foundation, the Marin County SELPA in partnership with the Marin County Wellness Collaborative, Marin County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, and Each Mind Matters, developed the School-Based Suicide Risk Assessment Procedures to support the assessment and response to signs of distress and suicidal ideation in students.
- Risk Assessments - Trainings, Procedures, & Resources
- Trainings - Suicide Prevention
- Resources - Suicide Prevention
Risk Assessments - Trainings, Procedures, & Resources
Marin County Suicide Risk Assessment & Intervention Training
Mental health professionals in Marin County public schools can register to complete the Marin County Suicide Risk Assessment & Intervention Training.
School-Based Suicide Risk Assessment Procedures - 5 Parts
Trainings - Suicide Prevention
Below are suicide prevention trainings made available to Marin public school staff and students.
Well Beyond
-
Virtual
- Self-paced
- Mental health professionals (public schools only)
- Training request
Questions? Contact:
Resources - Suicide Prevention
-
Suicide Prevention Guide for High Priority Youth Groups (MCOE)
- 24-Hour Suicide Prevention Hotline - English
- 24 Horas-Prevención del Suicidio - Spanish
- Teen Suicide Prevention: Frequently Asked Questions
- Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Toolkit for Schools
- Preventing Youth Suicide - Tips for Parents and Educators (National Association of School Psychologists)
- At a Glance: Suicide Prevention Legislation for K-12 LEAs (San Diego County Office of Education- updated 2/2026)
Talk with Someone 24/7
If you or someone you know is in distress, please contact:
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 988
LGBTQ+ Crisis Counseling Support (866) 488-7386 or click here
24/7 Suicide Prevention Hotline (415) 499-1100 (Buckelew)
Access Line for Care or Support (888) 818-1115 or click here
24/7 Crisis Phone Line (415) 473-6666
24/7 Crisis Text Service text MARIN to 741741 (Marin Behavioral Health and Recovery Services)
Crisis Response
Crisis Response
A crisis of any kind, but especially one that results in harm or the death of a young person, is exceptionally stressful and traumatic. Sadly, Marin County, like innumerable communities across the country, has experienced the sudden and tragic loss of a student. It is impossible to overstate the long-term devastation these deaths have on the entire community.
Crisis Response: Suicide Prevention & Postvention Protocols (Manual)
This document is designed to be used by school officials. Our hope is that this resource will help guide schools by promoting thoughtful discussion about prevention, as well as careful planning and preparation to minimize stress and create conditions to keep people safe in the case of crisis. We also hope these protocols open discussion and provide reassurance to our parent/guardian/school community that the safety and well-being of children is our first priority.
The most relevant existing literature and resources related to suicide prevention and postvention have been reviewed and compiled to provide best practice guidance and practical tools for school officials. This document is designed to be dynamic and will be continually edited and updated to ensure the most current practices are in place. This work product would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of concerned community organizations including Marin County schools, Department of Health and Human Services, and Kaiser Permanente.
Crisis Response Flow Chart
The chart below provides step by step information in response to a postvention crisis.
Crisis Response: Protocol Appendices
- SAMPLE LETTERS: COMMUNICATING CAUSE OF DEATH
- TALKING POINT GUIDES
- SAMPLE AGENDAS FOR STAFF AND PARENT | GUARDIAN | COMMUNITY MEETINGS
- OTHER RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY
- MEDIA REPORTING
- CRISIS RESPONSE FLOW CHART
- REFERENCES AND SOURCE DOCUMENTS
SAMPLE LETTERS: COMMUNICATING CAUSE OF DEATH
TALKING POINT GUIDES
- Appendix D: Notification Guide to Students & Public - Templates I-III
- Appendix E: Notification Guide to Students & Public - Template I-II
- Appendix F: Notification Guide to Students & Public - Templates I-II: English
- Appendix G: Notification Guide for Addressing Public Calls and Inquiries for Office Staff
SAMPLE AGENDAS FOR STAFF AND PARENT | GUARDIAN | COMMUNITY MEETINGS
OTHER RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY
- Appendix J: Tips for Talking About Suicide from the AFSP
- Appendix K: Responding to Suicide Survivors
- Appendix L: Crisis Response Forms
- Appendix L: Google Doc Crisis Response Forms
- Appendix M: Facts about Suicide in Adolescents
- Appendix N: Grief After Suicide
- Appendix O: Resources for Teens, Families & Staff Bereaved by Suicide
- Appendix P: Supporting Children & Teens after a Suicide Death
- Appendix Q: Memorial After a Suicide: Guidelines for Schools and Families
MEDIA REPORTING
CRISIS RESPONSE FLOW CHART
REFERENCES AND SOURCE DOCUMENTS
Marin County BHRS and MCOE Resource Guide: Local Grief Support and Resources
The resource guide below provides a brief overview of grief support groups, books and guides, and general information for text lines and warm lines.
Trauma Informed Practices & Resources
Trauma Informed Practices & Resources
Trauma-informed practices help schools create safe, supportive, and inclusive environments where all students can learn and thrive. By recognizing how stress and trauma can affect behavior, relationships, and learning, educators can respond with empathy, consistency, and strategies that strengthen connection and resilience.
Below are FREE trainings made available to Marin public school staff:
Safe Spaces
Foundations of Trauma Informed Practices for Educational and Care Settings
- Virtual
- Self-Paced
- Adults
- No Cost
- More Information
ACES Aware
Learn about ACEs, toxic stress, screening, risk assessment, and evidence-based care to effectively intervene
- Virtual
- Self-Paced
- Adults
- No Cost
- More Information
Trauma Informed Resources
- Child Mind Institute
- National Center for School Safety
- School Crisis Recovery and Renewal (SCRR) Project
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
- Other
Child Mind Institute
Hub for Trauma Resources: Multilingual Trauma Resources
Additional Resources:
- Children Hear the Message of the Gun
- Helping Children Cope Frightening News - Grief and Fear
- How to Talk to Kids About School Shootings - Anxiety
- Healthy Minds - A series of free videos and resources that parents, caregivers, and educators can use to teach and develop mental health and coping skills of youth.
National Center for School Safety
School Crisis Recovery and Renewal (SCRR) Project
Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Other
- Teaching on the Day After a Crisis
- Talking to Children about Violence Tips for Parents and Teachers - National Association of School Psychologists
- How to Talk to Kids About School Shootings - Common Sense Media
- Helping Students Cope with a Violent World - Edutopia
- School Safety Resources - California School Boards Association